Splitting Up Is Hard To Do
by CaptureGod-Otamegane
Summary: The 4th Great Shinobi War has brought so much death that the hollows are swarming. The shinigami realize that dead souls are being force back to the living world. Everything that is good or evil in the world seems to hinge on the battle of two rivals.


**A/N: Well I've been thinking about writing this but wanted to wait until Kishimoto had shown us some more of the war. This will be a Bleach X-over and will be Naruto-centric just not this first chapter. So I will see you at the bottom.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own any part of the Naruto or Bleach franchise.**

Splitting Up Is Hard To Do

Chapter 1

Since the fourth Great Shinobi War began the alliance of all the ninja villages and the Land of Iron continued to lose soldiers even as Kabuto's army of deathless warriors swelled. Madara had finally unleashed the full force of his Zetsu army at Sasuke's insistence. His impatience for revenge meant more to him then any of Madara's plans. This was the final combined assault for both sides. The fate of not only the Elemental Nations, but the destiny of the entire world would be decided.

At the fore front of the massive battle two still figures stood unnoticed by all combatants.

"Zabuza-sama?"

A slender young man asked as he gave his precious master a questioning glance.

Taking his time to watch as history unfolded before his eyes, the former Demon of the Mist knew the question his apprentice had left unsaid. Since he was asking himself the same thing.

"I don't know Haku, it seems that those cursed bodies our souls were chained to have been freed once the bodies had been sealed. As for why we are still here…"

"Maybe it's so we can offer him our support, as meager as it is?"

At that moment a young man with blond hair wearing a red coat with black flames was sitting atop the head of what appeared to be the largest toad in the world. Any shinobi with keen senses would be able to see the two small, elderly looking toads perched on his shoulder. In another massive plume of smoke more colossal toads as big as the one Naruto rode appeared with their weapons at the ready. One of them in particular was electric-blue and had a dark-skinned bull of a man on his head. The man know as Killer-Bee vessel for the eight tails had all of his swords at the ready. The wide grin on his face said to all who saw it that today was a good day for a fight to the death.

And Zabuza was inclined to agree.

"Yea."

Just like that, as if his words were a trigger that was squeezed. The little gaki he had told to quit being a ninja so long ago. The brat who had once spouted nonsense to him about how great he would become. The young ninja with so much potential that had shown him just how deeply he felt for his young protégé. There he was letting loose a justu with his toads that could only be described as a sea of flames. Many of Madara's white Zetsus and Kabuto's impure summoned shinobi had been completely incinerated. The purifying flames from Naruto's justu had reduced the opposing side to ashes to fine, that there was no chance of recovery or regeneration.

The ninja and samurai of every division of the alliance rallied behind his great show of might. Naruto not only destroyed a huge chunk of their enemies but his presence boosted a troop moral that had fallen dangerously low more-so then his attack. With new hope that they would win this war, everyone struck with unrelenting strength. Even as more and more Zetsu appeared from under ground or out of trees, over land and sea with an unyielding march forward. Lifeless ninja were summoned nonstop to fight as merciless tools even after death had taken them. For the alliance for every foe they defeated it seemed to only further their enemies charge. And the battle and fighting remained uninterrupted.

Glancing to his side Zabuza watched Haku stare in awe of the power shown by the boy he had, ever so briefly, called a friend in order to protect all that was presious to him. Because he had now left the battle to fight that which only he could face. The mêlée that ensued upon his arrival was left to the toads and alliance. Now Naruto was fighting a radiant red goliath that was shooting off massive blots from a bow. But he was unfazed, Naruto summoned an army of clones each holding a bright glowing speare. Some the size of a ball, others as big a house; even more of them were just floating in air.

Haku felt his heart swell with love an pride to see Naruto become truly strong in order to protect his precious people. And for a moment he was happy. Not just because he and his master had somehow regained control of themselves, but because they were once again side by side. That is until he noticed _it_. He didn't know what _it_ was, it looked to be some kind of apparition not created by either side of the conflict. More and more those phantoms started to appear.

"Haku."

Zabuza had seen the specters too and wanted to know what they were. So he created a curved sheet of clear ice to act as a magnifier so the both of them could get a better view of the shadowy creatures as they flitted between fighters.

The longer they observed, they clearer they dark figures became. A murky claw or hazy sword, a flash of sharpened steel on bloodied fangs. The two deceased Kiri nuke-nin had no idea what to really make of the scene in front of them. For Haku and Zabuza they were watching two separate but equally fierce wars for supremacy unfold together, both unnoticed by the other. The only exceptions seemed to be the most sensitive of Yamanaka who would stop for no apparent reason and shudder, or the most gifted of Hyuga that seemed to question what they actually saw.

Those dismal ghouls kept trying to feed on anyone they could sink their claw or fangs into. Be it a Zetsu, an lifeless ninja, or living shinobi. Zabuza and Haku could see each time, each time those monsters captured an impure summoned ninja their soul would be thrown from their anguished body, connected by a sickly looking black-green chain that had rusted over and full of chips. Those things would swarm the poor soul and devour them with savage glee.

Fortunately the soul purpose of those shadow samurai looked to be in destroying as many masked spirits as fast as they could. Here and there some stopped to tap the hilt of their blades on those souls that had died. Some of whom would then disappear in a flash of light, others could be seen dragged by a skeletal hand through a burning gate.

"Haku, I think I know what they are."

His young apprentice, who's time had been cut much to short, was fixated. He had become fixated on the strangeness that was the battle right in front of them.

"Shinigami…"

"Oh, your quite the bright young lady."

Haku and Zabuza turned around to see a bald old man with an robe as black as death and a wooden cane. They would have laughed at his comical statement, if only they could breath. His mere presence was so powerful Haku, no longer able to take it dropped on all fours. It was all Zabuza could do to remain standing with his knees quacking as they were.

The woman at the old man's side who looked as if she was from Kumo had a smirk not unlike a certain knucklehead toad-sage, her comment only proved it.

"Sou-tiacho I think he's a boy, you know they say sight is the first to go and you _are_ getting pretty old. Maybe you should lighten your presence before they die, _again_."

He chose to ignore her first comment in favor of her second.

"Oh! Yes it's been so long since I've had to come to the living world."

Zabuza and Haku felt like their blood went from lead to liquid again, if they even still had blood. As they gathered themselves they took the opportunity to get a good look at these 'Shinigami'. All three had similar looks to the other 'Shinigami' except they had white haoris' numbered one, two, and three respectively.

The smiling woman seemed pleased at her own wit was very curvaceous and had purple short cropped hair. While the tall, blond haired man with the purple eyes who had yet to speak gave them an equally measured look. The old man who seem to be in charge as 'sou-tiacho' turned to the man.

"Rojuro-tiacho, what of the status of the Kido corps?"

"They have established a barrier perimeter to ensure that none of the hollows can escape, and the human battles should be confined to a _relatively_ small area."

"Good, Yoruichi-tiacho where is your fuku-tiacho; is he not supposed to be aiding the conflict here?"

"Oh Kisuke, he's keeping tabs on those two super powered what-ever-they-are humans. He probably finds them fascinating and wants to study them."

"Very well, lets-" "-um excuse me…"

Yamamoto had nearly forgotten about those two souls, until the little one had spoken up. He waved a hand to allow him to proceed, as a courtesy for a young lost soul torn from his afterlife. And for almost crushing them with his _reiatsu_.

"Um, Shinigami-sama… forgive me for asking but will we be sent back to the spirit realm?"

Yoruichi gave him a kind look and decided to answer his question.

"We are the ones who protect and govern the souls that have passed on, and we will sending all you unjustly summoned spirits back to the soul society. Where you don't have to fight anymore and can be in peace. Come let me show you."

Haku looks to his master for guidance, and Zabuza nods him forward. He takes a few tentative steps before the powerful woman.

"Now don't be afraid I'm going to perform a _konso_, a soul burial on you."

She unsheathed the wakizashi at her side and slowly taped the bottom of the hilt to Haku's forehead, and a look of peace seemed to wash over him. He looked back to his beloved and most precious master.

"I will await for you on the other side Zabuza-sama."

And with that the once powerful ice wielder with a pure heart dissolved into particles of light, a black butterfly appeared in his place as if to carry Haku's soul to the spirit world. Zabuza looked bak to the three Shinigamis as Haku's butterfly fluttered of into the distance.

"I wish I could go to the same place as you again Haku, but I've seen enough of this battle to know… the Demon of the Blood Mist must pay for his crimes that even death twice over wouldn't be enough. Am I right?"

All three captains acknowledged his statement. Yoruichi flipped her wakizashi and slashed Zabuza across his chest. Zabuza felt no pain from the wound on his soul, and no fear as those skeletal gates materialized and opened before his visage. A crack just wide enough to squeeze his body through. He is able to catch a glimpse of _jigoku_ the underworld. A place for those like him who have committed heinous crimes while human. Faster then he can realize a monstrous demon skewers him on a blade larger then his own.

Zabuza allows himself to be dragged in towards the chained gates of a torturous realm. In his last fleeting moments he looks to the sky to see a single snow-white cloud drifting along, it reminds him so much of Haku that it pains his heart more then the twisting steel in his gut. He shed all his tears long, long ago and promised himself never again, but for his Haku a lone tear makes it's way out.

"Splitting up is hard to do, huh?"

**BOOM!** The Gates of Hell seal themselves once more and disappear.

**A/N: Cranked that out in one night. If you haven't read the top read it here. This **_**will**_** be Naruto-centric just not this first chapter. Oh, **_**SPECIAL TREAT **_**for you if you review. I'm letting you all name the chapters, just put them at the end of your review and I'll pick the best one.**

**RxR Plz!**


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